Public consultation on Uranium Industry Issues in Québec - The inquiry commission invites citizens to express themselves from November 10, 2014

QUÉBEC CITY, Oct. 7, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The inquiry commission of the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (BAPE) on uranium industry issues in Québec will hold the briefs presentations phase from Monday, November 10, 2014. The schedule and the places will be announced as soon as they will be available.

The commission is chaired by Louis-Gilles Francoeur, supported by Michèle Goyer and Joseph Zayed, commissioners.

This phase is exclusively dedicated to the hearing of briefs and verbal opinions, and of citizens', municipalities', organizations' and groups' suggestions.

The sessions will be broadcasted live in audio mode on the BAPE Website (www.bape.gouv.qc.ca). They will continue the following days depending on the public's and the commission's needs.

HOW TO WRITE A BRIEF?

A brief is a document that permits to expose opinions or issues about a subject. It also permits to develop and to precise arguments.

Generally, a brief contains the following elements: a short presentation of the person, the group, the organization or the municipality filing the brief, a short explanation of the interest on the subject, opinions on the subject, issues about the subject and, if possible, suggestions and comments. Those who do not want to file a brief can however express their opinion verbally during the public hearing. A verbal presentation can contain the same elements as a brief.

HOW TO PRESENT A BRIEF?

In order to plan the good process of the public hearing sessions, anyone who wants to present a brief or to express themselves verbally during the hearing must inform the commission secretariat coordinator, Rita LeBlanc. You must send the Notice of Intention form available on the BAPE Website before October 16, 2014, at 4 p.m., by email at [email protected] or by fax at 418 643-9474. You can as well communicate your notice of intention by phone at 418 643-7447, ext. 422 or toll-free at 1 800 463-4732.

In order to let the commission consult it before the public sessions, the brief, well identified with the subject of the inquiry, must be sent before October 30, 2014, at noon, at the BAPE secretary, at 575, rue Saint-Amable, bureau 2.10, Québec (Québec) G1R 6A6, to the attention of Rita LeBlanc. To send the brief by email, please do so at [email protected].

In order to protect personal information and because the brief will be public, we ask you to provide your name and address on a separate page. If you send your brief without this information, it will not be considered by the commission. The BAPE makes sure, accordingly with the law, that personal information is protected. The briefs will be on the BAPE Website as soon as the commission will make them public.

THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IS ESSENTIAL!

The public participation is essential for the inquiry commission. It permits to the commission to hear the participants' arguments, opinions and suggestions before writing the report, which will be given in to the minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, David Heurtel, before May 20, 2015.

For any further information, you can communicate with Rita LeBlanc, commission secretariat coordinator, by phone at 418 643-7447 or toll-free at 1 800 463-4732, ext. 422. You may as well contact the commission by email at [email protected].

SOURCE: Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement

Louise Bourdages, Communications Advisor, 418 643-7447 or 1 800 463-4732 ext. 532, [email protected]